“Civil War Pensions; Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900”, digital image, The National Archives (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 31 October 2014); entry for William H Phillips (Co K, 19 Reg, Ind Inf); citing: Civil War Pensions, Pension applications for service in the US Army between 1861 and 1900, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served; NARA T289. no roll number cited.

The first thing I noticed was William H vs William D. Wonder if +DearMYRTLE gave that to us as a hint.

The Soldier, William H Phillips had died:

What this told me was the soldier’s name was William H Phillips and that he was married and left a widow. He was a Private, in Company K, of the 19th Regiment, Indiana Infantry. He Died 1/21/1921 in Knoxville, Iowa, and his widow filed for the pension 3/12/1921.

So far, the information appears to be OK, but….

One thing that caught my eye was the Term of Service, there we no dates. So, I searched to see if there were any Civil War Service Records for William H Phillips that fit the information I had so far.

There was no indication in the Civil War Service Index – Union – Indiana for him, but there were 7 entries, none this William H. The question so far is, Did he serve and when did he serve? Not sure what the A 17 V.R.C. means, yet.

I have been looking at Civil War Records on Ancestry.com, and where I would normally go from what I have so far, would see IF I can find HER pension file. And I found her pension at: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 for William H Phillips. The numbers matched exactly, as I have seen before. It’s a different card, but should have the same numbers and certificate number. It did. The widow’s name is Louisa Phillips. She filed for the pension in Iowa, where he had died.

That A 17 V.R.C. is also on this pension record. Two documents with the same information.

My next stop was to see IF I could find any more information on the 19th Indiana Infantry Regiment, as I had a hint something was coming. So I went to Wikipedia.

Having been on a brief Civil War research trip with our spouses, I took this picture at Gettysburg in May.

The Iron Brigade. I knew there had to be a connection. BUT, I took my next step to see what else I could find out about the 19th.

Before I take my next step in research, I need to mention that the Iron Brigade was involved, in Gettysburg, on Culp’s Hill on 3 July. I also had a Confederate soldier, Ridgely Howard, in that SAME battle and he was wounded in the thigh at Culps Hill. Not in the same part of the battle, DearMYRTLE’s soldier was at the other end of that battle, as there are monuments placed where the units were fighting. Pieces of David Ridgely Howard’s story is in a PBS film on Gettysburg.

The kicker for this research, for this DocuChallenge is in the LAST Line on the 19th’s service information:

“Weldon R. R. August 18-21”

In William Henry Phillips Find-A-Grave memorial, Find A Greave Memorial #58768920, DearMYRTLE published the details of his pension files, that he served through 1864. So, Was HE, William Henry Phillips, at Weldron R.R. in that battle?

MY Ridgely Howard was wounded for the 2nd time at THAT battle. This time, “wounded in action – upper portion of right thigh, amputated.

David Ridgely Howard lived until 23 December 1927 and is buried in Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland.

Like this:

My cousin, Dear MYRTLE, made a comment on Facebook about the Civil War and that she and Mr. Myrt were watching a program on Gettysburg. Last night, I found a link to a program on Gettysburg online, so I decided to watch this 88 minute program.

What I didn’t realize, until about 50 minutes into this program, that I had seen this program before. I knew that I had from how the program was done, but didn’t connect the dots as to what this program was about.

“Ridgely Howard” was mentioned, as a 33 year old, slave holder from Baltimore and that his grandfather served with George Washington during the War of Revolution, and that this family was of the “plantation class”. I know this guy. I spend a summer researching Ridgely Howard trying to find out who he was.

There may be a couple of blog posts in that series that is not about this research, but about the 3rd blog post is the end, at that time, of my search.

It turns out that David Ridgely Howard (1844 – 1927) was my 5th cousin, 4 times removed.

I was reminded about James Wallace, whose grandfather served in the same regiment as did Ridgely Howards grandfather with George Washington.

What I didn’t catch the first time, was that David Ridgely Howards house has been reported to be haunted. I’ll have to look into that.

After Ridgely was wounded, on this day, in the morning of 3 July 1863, he would return and be wounded a second time, but this time he lost a leg. The amazing thing is that he lived until 1927.

Robert J Driver Jr, First & Second Maryland C.S.A. (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc, 2003), page 205 – Capt. James McHenry Howard (left), 1st Maryland Infantry, and his brother David Ridgely Howard, Co A, 2nd Maryland Infantry, were photographed in Canada in their Confederate uniform at at the war’s end. David has a metal “cross button” pinned to his breast, which is believed to have been the insignia of the Maryland Line (see Plate H2, Dave Mark Collection). H. R. Worthington – Book Shelf

Like this:

Last weekend’s “day trip” became two Day Trips. Unfortunately, Patti was not up to the trip, but we agreed that I would make the trip to Frederick, Maryland and the celebration of Special Orders 191 (will blog later on that). Our plan was to spend the night, visit Worthington Valley, then proceed to the Worthington Reunion. (already blogged about that).

It was hot, but there was time.

Since doing my research last summer (Inferential Genealogy), I wanted to Visit Fort McHenry.

The Howard family played a role at Fort McHenry early in the Civil War. While doing that research I realized that Frances Scott Key was in my family file. I had known of other Worthington / Key interactions in the past. There is a house in Anne Arundel County that belonged to Key and Worthington. (but that’s another story).

As you may be able to tell from the above picture, that is was a beautiful day. Fort McHenry has programs in the evenings on the weekends, War of 1812 Twilight Tattoo. Why not …. it gave me a chance to re-visit the Fort, as it’s been a number of years since I last was there AND had no pictures. Great day to visit and to that Pictures.

As may have been a tradition at Fort McHenry, in the evening, there was a gathering of the troops (Tattoo), and as was presented this evening, a band was there, along with the local “ladies”.

The Chesapeake Concert Band and the Fort McHenry Fife & Drum Corps played for those in attendance.

Period music was presented, including some music specifically created for Fort McHenry.

The Traditional Canon Salute was included in the ceremony.

So why all the fuss about Fort McHenry and Frances Scott Key? According to my database, he was the Father-in-law of my 10th Great Grand Uncle. What ??? OK, he’s distant, but still related. Looking at HOW we are related, I run into TWO, not one, but TWO Revolutionary War “Hero’s”. As reported on this Blog, John Eager Howard, grandfather of David Ridgely Howard and McHenry Howard, of Civil War fame, but also Ann Cooper Whitall, wife of James Whitall. (The Battle at Red Bank, New Jersey).

The Whitall House it across the Delaware River from Fort Mott. Another visit to the Whitall House is in order.

In this one line, I have Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War hero’s.

What did that record have to do with me. There wasn’t too much of interest to me, BUT the name on the Letter Head.

John Eager Howard Chapter. Chapter of What?

the D.A.R., in Baltimore, Maryland. So, in searching the War of 1812, I found, or found again, an Ancestor, John Eager Howard, 3rd cousin, 6x removed. Why wouldn’t there be a DAR Chapter named after him. He did fight in the Revolutionary War. Must have been a real hero.

Like this:

While aboard the Pride of Baltimore II earlier this week, I was reminded of an event that took place in the harbor of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Hadn’t really “connected the dots” between this was and a distant relative.

This is the type of flag that a ship like the Pride of Baltimore might have flown during the War of 1812.

Last summer, I was researching one “Ridgely Howard” using the Inferential Genealogy of family research. Later in my research, Ridgely Howard was really David Ridgely Howard.

His grandfather, John Edger Howard (1752-1827) and his wife Margret Chew (1760-1824) had a number of children, one of which was James Howard, Ridgely’s father and Charles Howard. Charles had 10 children, one of which was also Charles. This Charles married Elizabeth Phebe Key. She was the daughter of Frances Scott Key (1779-1843).

OK, it’s a stretch, but Frances Scott Key is the “Father-in-Law to my 10th Great Grand Uncle”

The point of this, for me, was to have a view in the Ancestry Member Tree, and in FTM2012, an overview of this Civil War Regiment. When reviewing my Civil War hero, and his dates, I have a good idea what battles he fought in.

He enlist on August 21, 1862, but into the 1st Regiment Maryland, so would have been in the initial organization of the 2nd Regiment. He was wounded on July 3, 1963 at the Battle of Culp’s Hill. This would have put him at the battle of Centreville and Winchester, Virginia and the first day’s battle in Gettysburg for this unit on July 2.

He missed the Battle at Martinsburg, but returned to the battle at Cold Harbor, Virginia.

He was wounded on the 2nd date’s battle at Weldon Railroad, Virginia and would be out of the rest of the war, as he lost his leg in Weldon Railroad battle.

Like this:

In the mail today, I received a book “Marylanders in the Confederacy” by Daniel D. Hartzler, Willow Bend Books, Westminster, Maryland, 2001. In it, in one sentence confirmed by findings on Page 3.

“The 1st Marland under Kenley was the only Maryland regiment on the Union side. The Confederate Marylanders on the other hand, embodied faith and pride of the state. Not a historic family of Maryland was not represented in the Maryland Line. Five grandsons of John Eager Howard, of Cowpens carried sword or muskets in the 1st Maryland Regiment.”

Cowpens was a battle in the Revolutionary War with General George Washington. So, John Eager Howard is the “grandfather” that was talked about in the PBS series Gettysburg.

John Eager Howard (1752 – 1827) and his wife Margaret Oswald Chew (1760 – 1827) had 10 children. Two of their sons were James Howard (1797 – 1732) and Charles Howard (1802 – 1869) had the “5 grandsons”

Charles Howard and son Francis (Frank) Key Howard (Key from Francis Scott Key) were captured in Baltimore by the Union Army.

Sons Edward Lloyd Howard and McHenry Howard served in the 1st Maryland.

James Howard had three sons that served, John Eager Howard (1797 – 1870), James McHenry Howard (1839 – 1916), and David Ridgely Howard (1844 – 1927).

The best that I can tell, at this point, is the all 5 of John Eager Howards grandsons were at Gettysburg in 1863.

My calculations would make David Ridgely Howard my 5th Cousin, 4 times removed. I now have a Confederate Civil War Hero. Not to mention that my Great-Grandfather, Samuel Worthington, was a Union Civil War Hero.

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About this Blog

The purpose of this Blog has changed over time. What started out to be an online version of some old Worthington Descendant Newsletters.
It has become a way to journal about my adventure into Family History, sometimes called Genealogy.
The change for me is more about finding out the stories behind the names and dates that I find about the people I find in my research.